Week 18: Recipe #2--Sweet Chicken Kabobs

I found this recipe from the Kraft Foods website (see link below) but, because of my lack of preparation, was forced to change it around a bit.  I had taken the chicken out to thaw the morning before I went to work (should've had that done sooner).  My husband wasn't working that day so I called him to cut up the thawed chicken and, not having the recipe in front of me, told him to marinate the chicken in BBQ sauce.  When I got home and we were ready to put them on skewers for the grill, we realized we had no more wooden skewers.  So into the skillet the chicken went, along with the peppers and pineapple.  I mixed some more BBQ sauce with the orange juice concentrate and threw that in the skillet as well.  Then I made some brown rice.  So what I made didn't quite look like this picture, but I think it turned out pretty tasty anyway!  I served this with applesauce and a green salad.  Makes 4 servings.

Photo from kraftrecipes.com

You'll Need:

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 c. fresh pineapple chunks (1 1/2-inch)
• 1 each red and green bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 c. favorite BBQ sauce
• 3 Tblsp. frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

Preparation:

1. Heat grill to med-high heat.
2. Thread chicken alternately with pineapple and peppers onto 8 long wooden skewers, using 2 skewers placed side-by-side for each kabob.
3. Mix barbecue sauce and juice concentrate; brush half evenly onto kabobs.
4. Grill 8 to 10 min. or until chicken is done, turning and brushing occasionally with remaining sauce.

***Note:  Soak wooden skewers in water 30 minutes before using.  Wrap ends with foil before grilling to prevent them from burning.  If using metal skewers, use just 1 metal skewer when assembling each kabob.

Recipe and link:  http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/sweet-bbq-chicken-kabobs-92092.aspx

Week 18: Recipe #1--Quick-Fix Beef Burrito Skillet

Disclaimer:  I did not actually try this recipe.  However, while my mom, sister, and I went out for dinner and a movie, I did make it for my husband and brother-in-law.  They ate the ENTIRE thing, just the two of them.  Okay, so my 3 year-old daughter and 2 year-old niece had some as well, but they couldn't have eaten that much.  So, I'm guessing it was pretty tasty.  It was extremely easy and quick to make, as well.  I served this with grapes.  Makes 4 servings.

Photo from kraftrecipes.com

You'll Need:

• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 pkg. taco seasonings mix
• 1 can (15 oz.) kidney beans, rinsed
• 1 c. chunky salsa
• 1 c. water
• 4 flour tortillas (6-inch), cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 c. Mexican-style finely shredded four cheese blend
• 1/3 c. sour cream
• 1 large green onion, chopped 

Preparation:

1. Brown the meat in a large nonstick skillet on med-high heat; drain.
2. Add the next 4 ingredients; stir.  Bring to a boil; simmer on med-low heat for 5 minutes.
3. Stir in tortillas; top with cheese.  Remove from heat; cover.  Let stand for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Top with sour cream and onions.

Recipe and link:  http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/quick-fix-beef-burrito-skillet-105217.aspx

Week 17: Recipe #5--Mexican Lasagna

This recipe is from Rachael Ray and the Food Network website.  Even though I have 2 lasagna recipes on the menu during the same week, this really is completely different, so I thought I'd give it a try.  It was REALLY good.  I served it with watermelon.  You could also use sour cream and hot sauce as a garnish for the lasagna, although I don't think it needed it.  The recipe says it makes 4 servings, but I'd say 6-8.  We had my sister, her husband, and my niece over, and we still have leftovers.  Lunch tomorrow!

Photo from Rachael Ray

You'll Need:

• 3 Tblsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 lbs. ground chicken breast
• 2 Tblsp. chili powder
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained
• 1 c. medium heat taco sauce or 1 can (14 oz.) stewed or fire-roasted tomatoes (I forgot to buy this and so I just used what I had in the fridge and made my own concoction....I used about 1/2 cup of Trader Joe's red enchilada sauce, almost 1/4 cup of Tapatio sauce, and the rest was water)
• 1 c. frozen corn kernels
• salt
• 8 (8-in.) spinach flour tortillas (I couldn't find these, so I just used regular flour)
• 2 1/2 c. shredded cheddar or pepper jack cheese (I used pepper jack)
• 2 scallions, finely chopped

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (or twice around the pan).  Add chicken and season with chili powder, cumin, and red onion.  Brown the meat, 5 minutes.  Add taco sauce or tomatoes.  Add black beans and corn.  Heat the mixture through, 2 to 3 minutes then season with salt, to taste.
3. Coat a shallow baking dish with remaining olive oil, about 1 tablespoon.  Cut the tortillas in half or quarters to make them easy to layer with.  Build lasagna in layers of meat and beans, then tortillas, then cheese.  Repeat:  meat, tortilla, cheese.  Bake lasagna 12 to 15 minutes until cheese is brown and bubbly.  Top with scallions and serve.

Recipe and link:  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/mexican-lasagna-recipe/index.html

Week 17: Recipe #4--Slow-Cooker Lasagna

Love using my crockpot, especially on those really hot days in a house with no air-conditioning.  This is a surprisingly easy and really good lasagna recipe.  It tasted like I spent more time on it than I really did. I especially liked not having to cook the lasagna noodles, as I always seem to make that process more trouble than it should be. This recipe is from Kraft Foods (see link below).  I served this with a green salad and fruit.  Makes 8 servings.

Photo from kraftrecipes.com

You'll Need:

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 jar (24 oz.) spaghetti sauce (I used a sauce with garlic in it, since I love garlic and this lasagna didn't include any in the recipe)
• 1 c. water
• 1 container (15 oz.) ricotta cheese
• 1 pkg. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 egg
• 2 Tblsp. chopped fresh parsley (I used dried from the spice rack)
• 6 lasagna noodles, uncooked

Preparation:

1. Brown meat in large skillet; drain.  Stir in spaghetti sauce and water.
2. In a separate bowl, mix ricotta, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, 2 tablespoons parmesan, the egg, and the parsley.
3. Spoon 1 cup meat sauce into slow cooker, top with layers of half each of the noodles (broken to fit) and cheese mixture.  Cover with 2 cups meat sauce.  Top with remaining noodles, cheese mixture, and meat sauce.  Cover with lid.
4. Cook on LOW heat for 4 to 6 hours or until liquid is absorbed.  Sprinkle with remaining cheeses; let stand, covered, 10 minutes or until melted.

Recipe and link:  http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/slow-cooker-lasagna-114123.aspx

Week 17: Recipe #3--Mac and Cheese

I'm always looking for a good mac and cheese recipe, and I found this one on the Food Network website; it's from the Barefoot Contessa (see link below).  It was really good, and anything that has "croutons" Lily will devour.  Pretty easy to make, too.  I served it with green beans and applesauce (what we had on hand).  It says it makes 6-8 servings, but I think it could serve more.  I will definitely half the recipe next time I make it.

Photo from Barefoot Contessa

You'll Need:

• kosher salt
• vegetable oil
• 1 lb. elbow macaroni or cavatappi
• 1 quart milk
• 8 Tblsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 12 oz. gruyere, grated (4 cups)
• 8 oz. extra-sharp cheddar, grated (2 cups, or 1 pkg.)
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 3/4 lb. fresh tomatoes (4 small)
• 1 1/2 c. fresh white bread crumbs (5 slices, crusts removed)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Drizzle oil into a large pot of boiling salted water.  Add the macaroni and cook according to directions on the package, 6 to 8 minutes.  Drain well.
3. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it.  Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large (4-qt) pot and add the flour.  Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk.  While whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth (here I added a touch more flour, as it didn't thicken up as I wanted it to).  Off the heat, add the cheeses, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg.  Add the cooked macaroni and stir well.  Pour into a 3-qt baking dish.
4. Slice the tomatoes and arrange on top.  Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, combine them with the fresh bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top.  Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top.

Recipe and link:  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/mac-and-cheese-recipe2/index.html

Week 17: Recipe #2--Ranch Salad with Roasted Vegetables

This is a good summertime recipe that goes well with fruit (my first choice is always watermelon).  Super easy to make and pretty tasty, I must say.  I found this in a Kraft Foods magazine, and it's also on their website (see link below).  Makes 4 servings.

Photo from kraftrecipes.com

You'll Need:

• 1 lb. red potatoes (about 6), cut into 1-inch chunks (when I cut these, I just quartered them, but it did take much longer for them to cook, so smaller chunks is probably better)
• 2 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 1 small red onion, cute into thin wedges
• 1 Tblsp. olive oil
• 1 pkg. (10 oz.) torn romaine lettuce
• 1/3 c. ranch dressing, or lite ranch dressing (the recipe truly calls for Kraft brand, but I used Trader Joe's Parmesan Ranch)
• 2 Tblsp. grated parmesan cheese 

Preparation:

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Combine first 4 ingredients in 15 x 10 x 1-inch pan.
3. Bake 25 minutes or until tender, stirring after 15 minutes.  Cool 5 minutes.
4. Toss lettuce with dressing; place on 4 serving plates.  Top with vegetable mixture and cheese.

Recipe and link:  http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/ranch-salad-roasted-vegetables-114114.aspx

Week 17: Recipe #1--White Pizza

As you can tell from the lengthy absence, I took most of the summer off from cooking.  I used it to make past favorites.  We also did a lot of traveling and eating out, but now school's starting and I'm ready to get back into the groove.  I found this recipe on the Food Network website (see link below).  It was pretty easy to make and tasty, too.  I served this with a green salad and fruit.  Makes 4 servings.

Photo from foodnetwork.com

You'll Need:

• 1 store-bought pizza dough--or pick one up from your favorite pizzeria (I used the garlic and basil dough from Trader Joe's--yum!)
• extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• 2 cups whole or part skim ricotta
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (I used dried parsley from the spice rack, was still tasty)
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella or provolone, 1 pouch
• 10 fresh basil leaves, 1/2 cup, shredded

Preparation:

1. Preheat a pizza stone if you use one, along with the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Stretch dough to form a pie and transfer to stone or pizza baking tray.  Pierce the dough with the tines of a fork in several places.  Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil around the crust.  
3. Mix the ricotta cheese with garlic and parsley and season it with salt and black pepper.  Spread the ricotta across the dough.
4. Top the pizza with mozzarella or provolone.  Bake until crispy, 20 minutes.
5. Top the white pizza pie with the shredded basil leaves, cut and serve.

Recipe and link:  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/white-pizza-recipe/index.html